Lawmakers announce medical marijuana deal
In one of the compromises between the Senate and the House versions, the deal allows for the establishment of two medical marijuana manufacturers and eight distribution sites across the state.
The Capitol Note: Campaign ads on statewide races have begun
Former Republican House Rep. Marty Seifert, who is still competing against a field of GOP contenders to take on Gov. Mark Dayton, will start running ads this week. Dayton Campaign Manager Katharine Tinucci said it's not time yet for the governor to run ads.
In rare bipartisan gun vote, House passes domestic violence bill
By a vote of 111-15, the House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would bar suspected domestic abusers who are under active restraining orders from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Senate charges ahead on medical marijuana
Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk explained that the Senate’s quickened pace came at Dayton’s urging. “The governor, probably about two weeks ago, actually asked the Legislature to move on the bill,” Bakk said. “I guess, at his request, we thought we would show him that courtesy.”
Amended gun bill clears hurdle
A House committee on Tuesday gave the nod to a bill that would require alleged domestic abusers to surrender their firearms and ammunition.
The Capitol Note: Dayton slams Senate Democrats on tax delay, office building
Bakk denied that the Senate had deliberately delayed approval of over $500 million worth of tax cut.
LIPP: One to Watch
Sen. Vicki Jensen, Sen. Michelle Benson, Rep. Dan Schoen and Rep. Kelby Woodard.
Leaders in Public Policy winners will be honored on July 11
State Rep. Karen Clark, who was the lead sponsor of legislation legalizing same-sex marriage, will receive the lifetime achievement award as part of the fourth annual Leaders in Public Policy awards, sponsored by Capitol Report and Politics in Minnesota. Clark and the other honorees will be recognized at a ceremony at the Saint Paul Hotel on July 11.
Lawmakers aim to tackle synthetic drug use in Minnesota
DFL House Speaker Paul Thissen this week created a temporary committee on controlled substances and synthetic drugs that will hold hearings over the interim on drug abuse issues. Rep. Erik Simonson, DFL-Duluth, will chair the committee, which has to present a report to the speaker by the time session starts in February next year.
Legislators voice dismay over management of state’s Medicaid rates
David Mosley has more than two decades of experience scrutinizing public health programs at the state and federal level. In all of that time, he's never encountered a state that did not collect paid claims data to provide a basis for setting its Medicaid rates.
DFL legislators introduce bills prohibiting out-of-state-ownership of U of M hospitals
DFL Reps. Joe Atkins and Dan Schoen have introduced legislation that would prohibit out-of-state-ownership of medical facilities run by the University of Minnesota. One bill would implement a ban on such takeovers through the end of 2014, while the other measure would create a permanent ban.
Majority midterms: 10 frosh who shine
There’s an old adage at the Capitol that first-term legislators should be seen and not heard. St. Paul can take some getting used to, the thinking goes, and most issues debated at the Legislature are so complex that newcomers would do well to sit back quietly and learn.
Top News
- Minnesota artists consider what’s next in AI copyrights
- Defining ‘and’ in sentencing statute falls to Supreme Court
- Hashtag rates higher libel protection
- Court: Performance issues, not bias, prompted union to fire organizer
- Robot milker case yields $122M
- 2023 Up & Coming Attorneys
- 2023 Unsung Legal Heroes
- Appeals court takes up transgender health coverage case
Expert Testimony
- Perspectives: Oral arguments at high court stir lively debates
- Quandaries & Quagmires: Advance waivers: Lessons from Paul Hastings vs. Coca Cola
- Perspectives: Recent cellphone ruling recalls high court cases
- The Unfrazzled Lawyer: Supercharge your unfrazzled lawyer efforts